Material-handling apparatus



Patented Jan. 8, `1929.

- uN Ire Sr WARREN H; HILL, F PHILADELPHA, PENNSYLVANIA, Assist-roe 'ro `R. H, BEAU- MONT Co., or PHILADELPHIA, rnrnsxtverrra, A coRPoRATIoN or PENNSYL- VANI'A.

.Application led January 29, 1925. Serial No. 5,461.

My invention relates to material handling apparatus, andV especially systems employing a loader for a 'hoisting bucket,`such as skiphoist systems now widely used for handling coal, sand, gravel, etc., etc. In general, such a loader Vcomprises'a movable part or .structure thatV delivers the material from a source ofsupply into the bucket when the latter is in position ready to receive it, and lshuts olf the discharge at other times. lI aim to improve; the coaction between loader and bucket, so as Y and a discharge-controlling loader 11. The

source of supply of the material yto be handled is represented by a hopper or bin 12 with an inclined outlet 13 at its bottom, on which the loader 11 is mounted. 'The loader 11 here yshown has a substantially closed chute or zontal axis 16, between a lower active posi-v tion, shown in full lines, and an upper inactive position, indicated in dot-and-dash lines. The loader 11 may be counterbalanced, as shown at 17, to facilitate. this movement and to assist in keeping it in its upper inactive position except when the bucket 10 is in place reac y to be filled.

As shown, the loader 11 may be 1 swung down and up by the bucket 10 itself asit descends and rises. V'Vhen the bucket 10 descends, its flanged lower corner 22 engages a hook device 23vpivotedto theloader 11 at 21, and thus pulls the loader down; when the bucket 10 rises, a part 24 atits upper edge engages the lower side of the chute 14, and thus causes the loader 11 to swing upward. lThe hook device 23 may be equipped with cushion springs 25, to ease the shock when the der- Yscending bucket 10 catches the hook, as described in U. S. Patent No.f1,411,831 to Beaumont, granted April 4, 122. Inthe present instance, the path of movement of the bucket 10 adjacent the loader 11 is inclined. The

bucket 1() may be raised and lowered by means of a cable 26 attached'to the usual bail 27, and

it may be guided by the usual wheels or roll i 'ers 28 andv guide rails 29.

IVhen the loader 11 swung downinto the active (full line) positionby descent of thev bucket 10, materialfrom the chute 14`passes intoV saidbucketby gravity until it extends up to the edges of the chute opening 15, when its flow stopped by' a sort of self-damming Vaction, as set forth in U. S. Patent No. 1,359,212 to VVebster, granted November 16,- 1920.

Vl/Vhen the bucket 10 :subsequently risesand thev loader 1 1 swings upward, however, the chute mouth 15 lifts away from the material 1n the bucket, and additional material from the chute 14 runs out into the bucket 10. rFhis supplemental delivery of material to the bucket 10 ceases, of course, when the rise of the chute 11 becomes sufficient to prevent flow from the outlet 13 into said chute and to cause the material in thev latter to fall back there.

into.

Having thus explained the general operation of sucha loader and bucket system, I will now proceed to describe and explain my invention as applied thereto.

Still referring to the drawing, it will be observed that when the loader 11 is in its arctive (full line) position, the cowl portion of the chute 14 extends over, substantially across, and into themouth of the bucket 10, -which, as here shown, is cut down at its side toward said loader to permit this. In the present instance, the whole top of the bucketlO is cut off sloping relative to its general length. AAccordingly, the discharge opening 15, llocated (in the present instance) at the outer end of the cowl portion of the chute 14, is substantially at or adjacent the far side of the bucket 10. Instead, therefore, of delivering Vinto the upper or near side of thebucket 10, the

pose of the material being loaded, as indicated by the line X.

When, therefore, the bucket V10 subsequently rises and the loader 11 swings up- Ward, the vacant space X thus left in the upper portion of the bucket 10 vaccommodates the supplemental flow or delivery oi material from the chute portion 14 to the bucket 10 that then occurs, and thus prevents spilling or overflow of material from the top of said bucket. The considerable projection of the bucket front beyond the far edge of the chute mouth 15 as shown serves as a hood to prevent spilling in that quarter. Y

In order to ease the engagement or impact between the chute portion 14 and the bucket edge 24, I prefer to interpose a cushion means between them, such as a laterally flexible bufvfer spring 30', As shown, this buffer member 30 lies against the chute portion 14 at one end, but at the other end diverges outward thereroin, and laps over the angle bar 31 which forms the upper edge or corner of the chute opening 15. Whenrthe bucket 10 rises, the

rounded part 24 strikes against andrides along this member 30, whose resiliency cushions the shock; whereas, when the loader 11 swings downward, the buer member 30 cushions its impact against the bucket edge' 24 after the bucket 10 has been arrested by the'bufer 32 at the bottom of its Ypath of travel. Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a system of the character described, the combinationv with a skip bucket of av loader therefor swingable across the path of move- VARREN H. HILL. 

